A Fine Collection of Royal Household Awards

Royal Household Faithful Service Medal, V.R., with bar for additional 10 years service (To Rudolph Lohlein Esq. Her Majesty’s Personal Attendant, for Faithful Services to the Prince Consort for 15 years, and to the Queen for 11 years) complete with original Stuart tartan ribbon, and contained in its original Wyon fitted case of issue, extremely fine £700-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Royal Household Awards.

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Medal presented at Balmoral on 24 May 1872, the very first award in the Register. Bar awarded in 1882. A total of 143 Victoria Faithful Service Medals were awarded. Forty-three recipient’s received one 10 year bar, and nine received two 10 year bars.

Rudolph Lohlein was born on 13 January 1827, at Niederfullbach, the son of William Lohlein, Forester at Fullbach, near Coburg. As a young man he was employed locally as a clerk in the exchequer and tax office at Rodach, and later entered the Grand Ducal Saxe-Ernestine Household as a Footman. He entered Royal service in England in 1846 as 2nd Valet to Prince Albert from June 1847. In August 1858, Cart, the Prince Consort’s principal Valet, died and Lohlein took up the position which he held until the Albert’s death in December 1861. Though Lohlein could never replace the faithful Cart in the Prince Consort’s affections, his attention to Albert during his last illness was not forgotten by the Queen who retained him in her service as Personal Attendant and Groom of the Chambers. He retired on 1 July 1884 and was given the title of Extra Attendant with a pension of £350 a year together with £40 a year for the upkeep of a horse. He died on 19 February 1896, aged 68, and is buried in St Mark’s Church Yard, Surbiton. Sold with extensive research and two copy portrait photographs.